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Topic: Our Bhagavan-Stories (Read 313188 times)

Once Devaraja Mudaliar was reading Siva Jnana Bodham commentary of Nalla Swami Pillai. He came across a sentence in which the author challenges anyone to show in any puranathat Siva took birth as an avatara anywhere. Mudaliar then asked Bhagavan whether it was not true that Siva was born as a child to Vallalala Maharaja in Tiruvannamalai and Sivaeven performed annual ceremonies to Maharaja.

Bhagavan then explained:

Siva was not born in any woman's womb even according to that story. When wife of Vallala Maharaja approached Siva [ for the detailed story see Arunachala Puranam, Tamizhverses with meaning. Saiva Ellappa Navalar], Siva became a child and the queen calledVallala and both came to lift the child and hug. Siva then disappeared, but with a promisethat He would perform annual ceremonies to him, after his death, as a child. Even today, there is one festival every year in Arunachaleswarar temple to commemorate this ceremony.

Bhagavan further narrated a story from Tiru ViLaiyadal Puranam, caled Vriddha, Kumara,Bala Patalam, where Siva appeared as an old man first, then a youth and then finally intoa child.

Since there was no standard Sthala Puranam for Tiruchuzhi, Viswanatha Swami wasrequested by devotees to compile one by referring to various puranas. This is now availablein Sri Ramanasramam as reprint and an English version is also there. Suri Nagammarendered this in Telugu and it was submitted to Bhagavan Ramana for perusal. This Telugu translation should also be available in Sri Ramanasramam. Telugu members maykindly check up.

On 28th January 1946, P.B. Ray, who has been staying in Tiruvannamalai for about a month now, has finished his Bengali Life of Bhagavan. He read the dedication, translated into English, before Bhagavan and said that he had heard about Bhagavan from somebody in Madras some years ago,and soon after he began writing this Life and it has taken some four years to complete it. Bhagavanthen said that long ago some Bengali had written a small life sketch of His in Bengali papers or journals about Him. Ray said that he had written those two articles now mentioned byBhagavan Ramana.

Thereupon, Bhagavan searched for the other Bengali article and traced it and gave it to Ray forperusal. It was a journal called AMRUT and published in 1934. The author of thearticle was Jagadeesananda Swami of the Ramakrishna Mission. Ray perused it and said in theevening that the article touched all points but somehow omitted to make any mentionabout the experience of Bhagavan arising from the idea of death and resulting in His Self Realizationwhich happened in Madurai in 1896, before His coming to Tiruvannamalai.

David Godman, in one of his talks with some Westerner has said that it is quite rare to witnessa person like Bhagavan Ramana who is both enlightened and saintly.

I also agree with him. There are only three in my view where both saintliness and enlightenment were together. One is Bhagavan Ramana and the other is Chandrasekhara Saraswatiof Kanchi Math, and Chandrasekhara Bharati. All the three were extraordinary.

There are many people who were enlightened but not saintly, at least, in outward behavior. Seshadri Swamigal and earlier Kaduveli Siddhar [about whom I wrote] were such types.

There are many who are saintly in their disposition but not self-enlightened. There are numerous examples which I do not want to quote here.

There is a verse, benedictory. Bhagavan Ramana is like what? He is like a large deep ocean ofmilk. All the worldly activities around Him are like little waves on the ocean's shore. "Aparasatchit sukavari......" He is non-moving, deep delving, calm, wave-less ocean of milk. Ocean of SatChit Ananda. Ananda is His nature. Chit, Self Knowledge is His Power. He is the One, Sat, without the second. The entire world, people running around with all sorts of egoistic problems, challenges, doubts, fears, unstable happiness, miseries, anger and hate --- are like waves. Without bothering about the waves, if one goes into the ocean, he can dive deep into thatParamananda Sagara.

There is a Tamizh poem on Azhagamma. She and Sundaram Iyer must have done great dhavam to give birth to a such an avatara called Ramana. Bhagavatam says that forefathers and mothersthirty generations before and thirty generations after a Brahma Jnani get liberation. EvenHiranyakashyap got liberation because Prahlada was his son.

Azhgamma came to see Bhagavan four times. First time, she came around 1911-12{fifteen years after Bhagavan came to Arunachala}. Bhagavan wrote a slip of paperstating that "The ordainer takes care of all. It is better to keep silent." She returned home.Again next year or so, she came. She stayed in Echammal's house for a couple of days haddarshan of Bhagavan Ramana and returned.

On the third occasion only, she was laid down with fever. Bhagavan FELT THAT SHE WAS NOTREADY FOR LIBERATION. IT IS BETTER FOR HER TO LEAD THE LIFE FURTHER, TO WORK ITOUT. So, He prayed to Arunachala in four heart melting songs to give her some more years of life, by curing illness. THIS IS THE ONLY SONG IN WHICH BHAGAVAN ASKED SOMETHINGWORLDLY, FROM ARUNACHALA. In no other songs, He asked for anything like that. Azhagamma got well and returned to Madurai.

After two or three years, when life's problems became un-manageable -- Nagaswami, the first son had died, the second son Venkatraman had gone to Arunachala and the third sonNagasundaram's wife had died and so he also left for Tiruvannamalai to be with his brother. There was utter poverty. One brother in law (not Nellaipapa Iyer) had also passed away. The Tiruchuzhi house was sold. She became really a destitute. She came to Bhagavan Ramana as her only refuge not only for her remaining years in the world but also for the pricelessreward of self realization in 1922.

The search and discovery of a Guru who is competent to guide spiritual seeker is of vital importance in Hinduism. Without the guiding wisdom and compassion of the Guru, the seekeris often lost. The Hindu scriptures have identified the relationship between a Guru and a sishyawith several categories, according to the individual temperament of the seeker. The principalattitudes are: i) Shanta, the peaceful love for God; ii) Dasya, the attitude of a servant; the examplesof this approach is Palaniswami's devotion towards Bhagavan in Gurumurtham; iii) Sakhya,the attitude of a friend such as the attitude of Ranga towards Bhagavan; iv) Vatsalya, the attitudeof a mother towards her child such as Mudaliar Patti towards Bhagavan. v) Madrura, the attitude of a woman towards her lover; the attitude of Mirabai towards Giridhar (Lord Krishna) exemplifiesthis path.

Among the devotees of Bhagavan there were many different ways of approach to the master.Some regarded Him as a friend such as Devaraja Mudaliar who happily talked to Bhagavan about all his family news and troubles. Ramaswami Pillai considered himself a servant ofBhagavan and did all he could to make Bhagavan's life comfortable. There were others who werem in such awe of Bhagavan that they did not dare speak to Him at all. Muruganar, said to be among the deepest of devotees, sang innumerable verses in praise, for the more he realized Bhagavan's greatness, the more he was inspired. For many devotees the dominant attitude wasone of Shanta, peace.

Among the Westerners who came to Bhagavan the example of Alan Chadwick stands out for itslongevity and for his close proximity to the Master. He was fortunate enough at last to find a Guru in the 1930s whom he could revere as well as call a friend. The names alone tell you whatunusual friendship it was for those times.

In the India of 1935, there were not many men with a name like Alan Chadwick who couldgenuinely say they were intimately connected with someone called Sri Ramana, or as Bhagavanwas commonly called in those days, the Maharshi. Britain was still more or less in command andruled India for another 12 years or so before Independence came in 1947. Due to the cultural,social and political divides between them, an Englishman and an Indian would have had normallythe briefest of acquaintanceship. For British rule being what it was, the most likely relationshipfor an Englishman and an Indian would have precluded close friendship. There would have beenofficial government activity, business links, and social relations in the higher social circles but for the most part each side kept to its own. By and large the most fraternizing was between the Indian royalty and the British upper classes. In general both the Indian and English sides understoodthe minute differentiation of the social class and abided mostly by them with exceptions proving therule. Alan Chadwick was an exception. Though a sterling example of an upper middle classEnglishman born to rule, he broke through all the social and religious barriers.

Today morning Abhisekham to the Lord Arunachala was performed with 1008 Conch shells. Yesterday night Panchamurti in silver Indra Vahanam (Vehicle) were taken out in procession. Today morning procession included Vinayakar and Chandrasekharar with Bhuta Vahanam. Muthuswami Udaiyar, the man who had served Isanya Desikar for many years while he had been mediating near Vettavalam, had become very unhappy when his holy man had suddenly and mysteriously disappeared without giving him any explanation. However, he was not left in this state of dejection for very long. One night, Lord Arunachaleswara himself appeared in one of his dreams in the guise of Isanya Desikar and said, 'Dear son, don't feel sad. I am staying at the north-eastern corner of Arunachala. You can come and see me there.' Then Arunachaleswara appeared in his own divine form to Isanya Desikar and told him, 'Dear son, I have asked a devotee to come to the north-eastern side of Arunachala to see you. Go there and meet him.'

As Isanya Desikar was walking towards the appointed rendezvous he began to compose some of the verses that were later known as Svanubhava Stotra Pamalai (Garland of Hymns of Self-Experience). These eventually numbered 117, all of which were addressed to Lord Arunachala. From the second verse onwards it becomes clear that in discovering Arunachala he had found both his true Guru and his God. O Arunachala! Your devotees, recognizing you as the infinite reality who is grace embodied in the form of fire, beyond the reach of Brahma and Vishnu, sang in praise of your greatness. I, who have in a miraculous way found you and adopted you as my Guru, may say many things about you, but all I really know is that you are the great and adored Lord Arunagiri. I am unable to say anything more. Muthuswami Udaiyar

O Love in the shape of Arunachala! Now that by Thy Grace Thou hast claimed me, what will become of me unless Thou manifest Thyself to me, and I, yearning wistfully for Thee and harassed by the darkness of the world, am lost (How) can the lotus blossom without the sight of the sun Thou art the Sun of suns; Thou causest Grace to well up in abundance and pour forth as a stream! Ramana Maharshi

Dr. Karamchandani, the Parsi doctor who attended to Bhagavan during His last days. He says the tears of sorrow come about on the lower portion of the eyes. The tears of blisscome about on the edge of the eyes. On the last evening Mrs. Karamchandani gave a glassof orange juice to Bhagavan. She had come all the way from Vellore to see Bhagavan andsubmit this glass of orange juice. She had darshan and Bhagavan took the juice withoutbothering about restrictions on food and drink etc., Immediately, the milling crowd outsidebegan chanting Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva and the sound rented the air in the Asramam. Karamachandanis saw Bhagavan being extremely happy about the approaching time and He shed tears! The doctor says that the tears came from the edge of the eyes!

Whatever else Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi and Major Alan Wentworth Chadwick may have been,they were friends, and their friendship stood British India on its head. Far from taking a superiorposition, Alan obeyed Bhagavan's every command without an instant's hesitation. Indeed, theEnglishman's servitude was so complete that he would suffer a tooth ache rather than visit the dentist without explicit permission from his Indian master.While other Englishmen were busy arrestingpolitical agitators seeking political agitators seeking political freedom and locking them in prison, our Alan, confined himself for years in a small cottage with basic amenities far from what they would have called civilization. Though he did have a servant, he was dependent, like most people atthat time, on buckets of water brought to his room, hurricane lamps at night and appalling heat during the summer,that his English body was not prepared for.And all this for the sake of his guru and friend,Sri Ramana. At the Asaramam he broke all the accepted British rules of behavior and bowed down atBhagavan's Feet, deliberately and formally stretching himself, all 6' 4'' of him, out on the floor,wheneverhe came into the hallowed presence of the Master.

On 2nd Jan 1946, a visitor asked whether Jnanis retire generally from active life and do not engage in any worldly activities.

Bhagavan replied:

They may or may not. Some, even after realizing, carry on trade and business, or rule overa kingdom, [like Janaka]. Some retire into forest and abstain from all acts except thoseabsolutely necessay to keep life in the body. So, we cannot say all Jnanis give up activity andretire from life.

Visitor further asked: I want to know if Bhagavan can give concrete examples , like the butcher Dharmavyadha mentioned in our books, of Jnanis now living and doing their ordinary dailywork in life.

Bhagavan did not answer. {Readers can guess the purposeof this question from the visitor}

Visitor: Is renunciation necessary for Self Realization?

Bhagavan: Renunciation and realization are the same. They are different aspects of the same state. Giving up the non-self is renunciation. Inhering in the Self is Jnana or Self Realization. One is thenegative and the other the positive aspect of the same single truth. Bhakti, Jnana, Yoga -- arenames for Self Realization or mukti which is our real nature.

Bhakti gives birth to Jnana. Bhakti is Jnana Matha. All paths should end up in self inquiry AtmaVichara, to merge in Atma.

Bhagavan Himself has not read much before He came to Arunachala. This is again for helping others and not for His sake. He has said in Who am I?: When the Self is within Panchakosa, what is the use of trying to find it outside? All scriptures say that control of mind is the final key. If that be so, what is the use of reading books endlessly. One has to unlearn everything at onepoint of time." He has not discouraged devotees from reading. He has Himself rendered in Tamizh prose, Viveka Choodamani. He has rendered in Tamizh verse, Sri Dakshinamoorthy Stotram. He has also written a few original works. He only discouraged unlimited reading. Once Kunju Swami wanted to go to Kovilur Math for reading the sixteen books of Vedanta, in Tamil.Bhagavan Ramana said: "Why should you read all those books, when you have already understood the self inquiry which is the final key." Kunju Swami cancelled his plan.

This unusual couple first met on 1st November 1935. Coming from a devout Christian background,Chadwick cannot have been unaware of the symbolism when he fixed the date of his arrival inTiruvannamalai: for he traveled towards the Asramam on the night of Halloween (Holy Evening),and it was on the morning of All Saints' Day that he first beheld Bhagavan. In the liturgical calendarChadwick knew so well, many of the famous saints have a special day for their worship. But on 1st November, we remember all those saints who do not have a particular day of their own, thusensuring that all the saints are duly honored. It could therefore be described as the day when we celebrate the saints in general, or the notion of sainthood as an ideal. And it was in the hopeof joining this great communion that Chadwick traveled to Tiruvannamalai in 1935.

Fear is due to the mind. For the one who has controlled the mind, there is no fear. If one likeBhagavan Ramana could kill the mind, he becomes the boldest human being in the world. We arethe Third Eye of Siva, from where Skanda came out to kill the demons with whom even Brahma, Vishnu and Indra feared. June 20th is the 40th anniversary of man's landing on the moon. On thatday Neil Armstrong and Col. Collins landed on the moon. Edward Aldrin was in the mother-craft, still circling the moon for his friends to join him after the mission. Normal Mailer has written anon-fiction called Fire on the Moon, about the psychology of astronauts. He interviewed them in detailbefore the mission. The one question that was the most important was: How will you manage the worst situations?The worst situation could me many. The failure of the craft, loss of oxygen, sudden death due to some unknown problems, re-entry problem, [in which Kalpana Chawla and others died]. Allproblems revolve around death. Death is the most primordial fear. Neil Armstrong, [who laterbecame a Jesuit Father!] said: Problem of liquidation? Why we should fear that? We are always with God. It is God who runs the show!"

Saint Tiruvukkarasar sang: What is there to fear about? What things will erupt which can give fearto us? We have got the Panchaksharam.

Panchaksharam is called Anju-Ezhutthu in Tamil. Five letters. Anju also means 'to fear'. The saint-poet has made pun on this word!